Interview with Kristin Young of Live Eyewear

When summertime hits, even those who don't normally wear sunglasses want to break them out. Prescription eyewear customers may wonder what's left for them. Not everyone wants photochromic lenses, a second pair of prescription glasses they can have tinted, or to go without their eyewear in lieu of sunglasses (depending on your prescription, that could be very dangerous anyway!).

LoveToKnow Sunglasses spoke with Kristin Young, Optical Marketing Manager for Live Eyewear to discuss another option: wearing sunglasses over your prescription eyewear.

Tell me a little about the company as a whole. What types of products do you offer?

Live Eyewear’s focus is on designing and manufacturing the highest quality OveRx sunwear (sunwear designed to be worn over prescription glasses). Our patented OveRx collections include Cocoons, Vistana, Cocoons Clip-Ons, Live Eyes and EyeArmor.

Who makes up your target demographic? How much does it vary from product to product?

Our target demographic is anyone who wears prescription glasses. Everyone has a need for sun protection. However, individuals who wear corrective eyewear often neglect to address the importance of protecting their eyes from the sun by opting out of purchasing high cost prescription sunglasses. Sixty-two percent of the US population wears prescription glasses. Only about 5% of that population actually uses prescription sunglasses. OveRx eyewear offers an excellent alternative for those who decide not to purchase expensive prescription sunglasses.

Live Eyewear offers an OveRx product for every consumer. From Cocoons which are the more conventional OveRx product designed for function, comfort, and quality to Vistana which is for people who want the function of Cocoons, but with the fashion of Vistana.

Where can Live Eyewear be found? Can you order online?

Live Eyewear products are sold exclusively through eyecare professionals, specialty sporting goods stores, and our authorized online partners. To find an online dealer for a specific product line, or to have Live Eyewear locate a retailer in your area, visit our website at LiveEyewear.com or call us toll free at 800.834.2563.

When you wear Live Eyewear sunglasses over your regular sunglasses, how do you know which size to get (if you order online, for example)? Do they feel bulky, heavy, or uncomfortable? Do they take some getting used to?

As far as selecting the appropriate size, all of our online partners have sizing guides so the customer can simply measure their prescription glasses (width and height). The online sizing guides will instruct them as to which size will work best for them.

Wearing two pairs of glasses might take a little bit of getting used to for some, but not much at all. The extremely lightweight design of the Cocoons frames allows them to float comfortably over prescription glasses and you don’t even feel like you are wearing two pairs of glasses. They are not bulky or heavy. However, selecting the right size is important for a comfortable fit. The Cocoons frames are made out of a soft touch nylon that is very lightweight, flexible, and comfortable. They also feature Flex2Fit adjustable temples that allow you to bend the earpieces inward or downward for a secure and comfortable fit.

Some people associate sunglasses worn over regular prescription glasses to be less than hip. What's your trendiest, most fashionable collection? Do you have any tips to pulling these off and still looking hot?

Our latest and most fashionable collection is Vistana. Vistana has all of the same comfort and function qualities that our customers love about the Cocoons but looks more like a fashionable, conventional sunglass. The Vistana line comes in four sleek colors and has a wraparound lens which is very popular among today’s eyewear consumers. Vistana’s Polare® lens system features Dynamic Base Lens Technology, which allows us to eliminate the side shields associated with traditional OveRx products, while maintaining a full range of undistorted peripheral vision.

Tell me a bit about the EyeSights collection. They seem to have just about everything you need in sports sunglasses. Can these be worn over prescription glasses, too?

EyeSights are high performance safety eyewear and are not designed to be worn over prescription eyewear. The lenses are ANSI Z87.1 approved and come in a set of four easily interchangeable lens tints for varying light conditions and outdoor activities (smoke, clear, yellow, and orange). The lenses are made of a scratch resistant polycarbonate and block out 100 percent of UV A & B rays, making them ideal for many outdoor activities.

What makes Polar Eyes sunglasses better than the average pair of polarized eyewear?

There are three things that really make PolarEyes stand out when compared to your average pair of polarized sunglasses.

1. The lenses: PolarEyes lenses are made of a scratch resistant, impact resistant polycarbonate which allows the eyes to completely relax, enhancing performance in outdoor activities.
2. Comfort: When you try on a pair of PolarEyes you don’t even feel as if you are wearing glasses. They are so lightweight and comfortable that you forget you even have them on.
3. Affordability: PolarEyes retail for about $49.95. A much lower MSRP than other polarized sunglasses of comparable quality.

You guys really have all the bases covered. You even have glasses to be worn at work over your prescription eyewear. Tell me a little more about EyeArmor.

EyeArmor is a line of safety eyewear that is designed to be worn over prescription glasses. They are ANSI Z87.1 approved for impact resistance, OSHA approved, scratch resistant, feature Flex2Fit temples for a secure fit and come with an adjustable head strap and cloth storage pouch that can be used as a cleaning cloth. They also come in yellow, clear, and a smoke color for varying usage. The best thing about EyeArmor is that they retail for about $24.95. If you need safety glasses and wear prescription glasses, it is really costly to purchase prescription safety glasses.

Is the warranty available pretty consistent throughout all the collections of Live Eyewear or does it vary depending on whether you get EyeArmor or EyeSights glasses, for example?

The Live Eyewear Limited Lifetime warranty applies to ANY Live Eyewear product. There is a one-year manufacturers’ defects warranty on the lenses and a lifetime warranty on any frame. Our products are built with quality and durability. You can take a Cocoons frame and literally twist it and it will not break. We believe in our products so much we back them by a lifetime warranty, a policy that our customers have grown to trust.

Have you ever had someone send in a testimonial regarding an event where Live Eyewear of any kind saved their eyesight?

We often get very positive feedback on our products from our customers. The people who buy Cocoons are those who are looking for maximum sun protection, many of which may already have existing eye health issues. We have received several comments on how thankful they are that we have created a product that will allow them to go out in the sun without enduring pain, strain or fatigue of their eyes. A lot of us do not know what it is like to no be able to go out in the sun because of eye sensitivity, but our customers let us know how much our products have helped protect their eyes and let them enjoy normal outdoor activities.

We also receive comments on the warranty registration cards. One customer commented about her Cocoons: “I'm looking forward to taking them to the beach. As a migraine sufferer, my eyes are very sensitive to bright light and glare. I think these will help me enjoy my vacation even more than usual.”

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